49ers vs Chiefs

The Super Bowl LIV (54) matchup has been set with the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers set to face off in Miami, Florida on February 2nd. After coming back from a 24-point deficit to beat the Houston Texans, in the Divisional Round, the Chiefs were able to stop the powerhouse of Derrick Henry and the Tennessee Titans after their dark horse season beating both the New England Patriots and the number one seeded Baltimore Ravens led by Lamar Jackson, the young phenom and his MVP worthy season. The final score between the Titans and Chiefs was 35-24 led by Patrick Mahomes and his three touchdowns while airing it out for 294 yards. Along with Mahomes, the Chiefs have a powerful roster which includes Travis Kelce, their talented tight end, Tyreek Hill who is considered one of the fastest wide receivers in the league, and Tyrann Mathieu the former Texan safety just to name a few. The Chiefs ranked 3rd in total offense and 2nd in passing yards per game (NFL, 2020).

After an unexpected winning season, the 49ers would play their last game of the regular season against the Seattle Seahawks, which would decide if they had a first-round bye due to the teams in the NFC having close records. Three out of the four teams went 13 – 3 by the end of the season but the 49ers were able to take the number one seed from the Seahawks in a very close game that was won off a last-second field goal. In the Divisional Round, the 49ers faced off the Green Bay Packers for the second time this season, their first matchup being an easy victory for San Francisco. The Packers went into this game confident after defeating the Seahawks, one of the few teams that were able to beat the Niners this season. With the help of running back Raheem Mostert, the 49ers started the game on fire making it 27 – 0 by halftime. By the end of the game, Mostert finished with four rushing touchdowns for 220 yards on 29 carries, breaking former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s previous record for most rushing yards in a playoff game (Rapp, 2020) .

The NFL was shocked to see the San Francisco 49ers do so well after Jimmy Garoppolo’s unanticipated ACL tear last season (which ironically was against the Chiefs) causing them to go 4-12. Ironically, this injury was the best thing that could happen to the Niners due to them earning the second overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft. They would end up picking Nick Bosa, a defensive end out of Ohio State. Nick is the brother of Joey Bosa, another star defensive player in the league. Nick Bosa was invited to the Pro Bowl this year after a monstrous rookie season but declined the offer since he and his team made the Super Bowl. Their defensive line consists of Arik Armstead, DeForest Buckner, and Dee Ford in addition to Nick Bosa who are all first-round picks (Wagoner, 2020). Their secondary, however, consists of talented players like the veteran cornerback Richard Sherman and their star-studded linebackers Fred Warner, Kwon Alexander and Dre Greenlaw (who is also a rookie like Bosa). The 49ers defense ranks first in Least Total Yards allowed per game with a league-low of 252 yards per game and ranks first in Fewest Rushing Yards allowed per game. Though many believe that their defense overshadows their offense, their offense isn’t falling far behind. Led by “Jimmy G”, the Niners offense consists of the all-star tight end George Kittle who earned a 95.0 grade from Pro Football Focus which was the highest grade for a tight end ever, along with their solid receiver core of Emmanuel Sanders, a former Pro Bowler, and the rookie Deebo Samuel, who ranks tenth for Best Rookies through week 17. The 49ers offense also rank first in Rushing Yards per Game (NFL, 2020). The Niners started this season going a perfect 8 – 0 and finished the season 13 – 3 with each loss only being by a last-second field goal or game-winning touchdown.

This matchup will surely be an exciting one as compared to last year’s overwhelmingly regarded boring game between the L.A. Rams and the Patriots. It’s one of the best offenses in the league going against one of the best defenses. The Chiefs are an unstoppable force going against the 49ers, an immovable object.

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